EllieP's Morris men texture collage

Because your texture was music, and I'm a musician, I went into my files and dug out a pastel painting I did ages ago from a photo I shot at a village fete. Thought they might go together well.

I really enjoyed the process but knew I might have to alter things a bit - so at times went ahead, like with using a mask orchanging a colour or blend mode. Then found you did it too!!

Anyway, I'm relatively pleasedwith this fiery outcome, although if I had more time I might consider if I should have masked out the texture over their chests and faces to keep it in the background. For now, it doesn't matter. Why? Because you've given me a whole new way of using some of my backlog of art! Thank you. And here it is.

ps I used Divide blend for the gradient, then Linear for the texture and finally Screen for the rays.

And here is the next image I'm working on - couldn't decide between the two to start with, and will need to look out a suitable texture too. It's done by me in alcohol inks.

And this is what I did. I am soooo excited. You have no idea how freeing this is - before, I just knew how to add a texture but not about the gradient map and how to use it. So it's a real gift to me.

For this, I had the following blends (in reverse order of stacking):

image normal

duplicate image multiply

gradient multiply with some removals along the bank and in the centre

scrunched paper texture of an off-whitish colour

rays on lighten blend

I love the feel. The rays just finished it off (haha - I mean positively!). Thanks again.